Antibacterial poly(ethylene terephthalate) surfaces obtained from thymyl methacrylate polymerization

Abstract

ABSTRACT Thymol, an antibacterial agent was used for the preparation of a methacrylic monomer. The conventional and atom transfer radical (ATRP) polymerizations of this monomer were studied using different conditions. Then, the functionalization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films by “grafting from” ATRP using this monomer was investigated. In this aim, a three steps procedure was developed. The surfaces were first treated by NH 3 plasma treatment to incorporate primary amino functions. Then, in a second step, ATRP initiator was grafted by reaction with bromoisobutyryl bromide. Surface initiated ATRP of thymyl methacrylate was performed in solution in the presence of a sacrificial initiator. The efficiency of these reactions was confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Wetting properties and surface energy were found to vary systematically depending to the type of functionalization and grafting. The poly(thymyl methacrylate)‐grafted PET surfaces exhibit resistance to bacterial adhesion toward Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus strains. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53 , 1975–1985